NEWARK — Of all the adjectives used to describe Sen. Robert Menendez — wonkish, intense, diligent — the words soft and cuddly have rarely found their way into the discussion.

But today, the hard-edged Democrat from Hudson County who may face a Senate ethics investigation over accusations of improprieties, addressed a friendlier audience: a group of children from a Head Start program in Newark.

"Hi. Good morning. So my name is Bob and I work for all of you," Menendez told the 4- and 5-year-old children gathered about him on the floor of a classroom at the Metropolitan Baptist Church, wearing cut-out paper hats they had colored that were modeled after Dr. Seuss’s "Cat in the Hat."

Menendez, who a month ago was forced to take the back stairways of the Capitol to avoid reporters, appeared less defensive today. He read "House Mouse, Senate Mouse" to the 15 children and left them with a copy autographed by its authors, Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes.

The book describes how mice in Congress passed a bill to designate a national cheese. "So that gives you a little idea as to how we pass the rules," Menendez told the children, who squirmed and fidgeted as he read. One reached out at his shiny Senate lapel pin.

After a brief reception at the church, it was off to a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport, where he discussed the possible effects of the forced spending cuts facing the country.

And then it was off to Lodi and another group of schoolchildren, followed by a conference call with reporters about a recent visit to Afghanistan and Pakisan — his first trip overseas as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Staff aides for Menendez urged reporters to stay on topic during the call, and to contact them later with any questions, like those about his relationship with the Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen — a friend and major campaign contributor whose offices were raided by the FBI in January.

With the ground rules in place, inquiries about round-trip flights to the Dominican Republic on Melgen’s private jet, and Menendez reimbursing the doctor $58,500 for two of them two years later, were not front and center.

Neither were disclosures that the senator came to the aid of Melgen before federal agencies, or accusations that the doctor provided Menendez with prostitutes, some underage, at his vacation home in the Dominican Republic — allegations the FBI has reportedly been unable to substantiate.

Asked whether the senator’s packed schedule was intended to rehabilitate his image at home after a month of harsh news coverage, Menendez bristled and said his appearance with the children was part of "Read Across America Day," which he has participated in for almost 20 years.

"It’s far from rehabilitating," said Menendez, who has repeadedly characterized the accusations as part of a smear campaign by right-wing forces. "It’s about being able to go ahead and express to kids the importance of reading,"

"And secondly," he said, "I don’t think I need any rehabilitating."

The lingering scandal has gnawed at Menendez’s popularity. A Quinnipiac Univeristy poll released last week showed his approval rating plummeted 15 points.

Menendez’s Democratic colleagues, who joined him at the airport news conference, insisted the scandal had not affected his ability to do his job.

"I see no impact in terms of his ability to continue to do a great job as a senator," Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), said.

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Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9th Dist.) greeted Menendez with an enthusiastic handshake, and called him "great" and "distinguished."

"I think he’s got not only his ear to the ground, but he’s got his boots on," Pascrell said.

Pascrell noted that the accusations first surfaced publicly on a conservative website just days before the November election — and warned of possible repercussions.

"I’m very interested in going back to the beginning ... how this all started in what part of the media it started," he said. "And I think you’re going to see some things coming out that will be very pertinent."